


"food's a lot better"

by cpt_stvngrntrgrs



Category: Black Widow (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 2012 avengers era, F/M, bc those were the happy times, really just some cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-19 12:20:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18969178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cpt_stvngrntrgrs/pseuds/cpt_stvngrntrgrs
Summary: Natasha and Steve cook together!!!written for Romanogers Week ^u^





	"food's a lot better"

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by that scene in Endgame, but in 2012-2014 because those were the times <3

Natasha found out Steve didn’t know how to cook one fateful day in the Avengers Tower.

Okay, okay. She has to give the guy some credit. He  _ knows _ how to cook. Just not modern food. Steve can’t live off soups, sandwiches, and takeout - and she made it her mission to help him with that. Well, not that she’s a  _ great _ cook, but she did learn some recipes to cook when she takes breaks in-between missions and that ought to suffice.

Natasha happened to be reading in the common floor of the tower, right in her favorite spot. It’s nothing more than a random recliner put off in the the corner between the living room and the kitchen, but she favors that spot as she can get a nice view of the city and she can quietly watch her teammates when they’re in the living room. It’s a nice spot to have when she wants to be with them, but not really  _ with  _ them.

Steve came in the room and headed straight to the kitchen. She put the book she was reading down to watch him. He probably didn’t notice her because he’s been opening and closing the door of the fridge, seeming disappointed at its contents. With every time he closes the door, his pout grows larger, and it’s quite adorable, if you ask her.

“Nothing interesting to eat?” she voiced out, startling him, who suddenly shut the door close too hard that she heard some bottles clink.

“Romanoff! I didn’t notice you were there!” Steve peered at her, stepping away from the fridge to see her better. Natasha gave him a shrug. “Yeah, well, I was just looking for something to eat. I didn’t know what to expect - most of these are leftovers.”

“Mhm. I thought so too. You ever thought about cooking something?” she said, standing up to walk towards the kitchen.

Steve chuckled. “My expertise applies mostly to cooking soup and canned food, so no, I can’t say I have.” he admitted, a sheepish yet nonchalant look on his face. “You want to grab something to eat?” he asked.

“You can’t cook?” Natasha asked, not even bothering to hide her surprise. “You know, real, actual food?” she added, noticing Steve about to intervene.

Steve shook his head. “Nah. I was a sickly kid and my Ma mostly cooked for me. Soup was common because it’s the least likely to get me even more sick. And it was cheap. Then when the Depression came, I had to be frugal. Mostly canned food and such. Food was provided when I was in the Army so…” he trailed off, a nostalgic look in his eyes. Natasha felt bad for asking such a question. It’s only been six months since he was out of the ice, and he’d often get this look when asked to reminisce his past. Or for Steve, what life was like six months ago.

Natasha stayed quiet for a moment, giving him some time to think. After a few moments, she straightened up and walked across him to open the fridge. Biting her lip as she scanned its contents, she took out butter, a bag of mushrooms, and frozen chicken breasts. 

“Would you mind defrosting this for me?” she handed Steve the chicken, her voice teasing, and a hint of smile on her lips. Steve, catching on to the joke, merely grinned and rolled his eyes as he took the chicken and put it in the microwave to defrost.

Natasha was looking for other ingredients in the pantry and as soon as she saw what she was searching for; she frowned. Standing on her tiptoes, she tried to reach for the top of the shelf, where the pasta sauce and box were, but she just can’t seem to reach it. Grunting, she was about to  _ climb _ the shelf, when Steve was suddenly behind her and calmly reached where her fingers were a few inches short to get.

“Thanks,” Natasha muttered and huffed at Steve’s amused face.

“What are you planning to make?” Steve asked, looking genuinely curious as Natasha whipped out a knife and cutting board and started expertly chopping garlics. She moved with the same elegant way as she does in the battlefield - and Steve can’t help but to admire it.

Natasha raised an eyebrow at him, feeling his gaze. “Well, if the box of fettuccine and alfredo sauce didn’t give it away, I’m going to make fettuccine alfredo.” she quipped, smiling up at him. “I’d love to go out and eat, but it does get tiring, doesn’t it? I really appreciate a home-cooked meal once in a while.”

“So does that mean you actually cook?” It was Steve’s turn to be surprised. “I mean, you know, since you’re always out for missions and such,” he added, not wanting to sound judgemental.

Natasha shrugged nonchalantly. “Like I said, eating out can get tiring. I usually can find some downtime here and there, and some undercover roles require the need to do so. And,” she added with a huge smile, “not that he’d ever admit it, but Clint and I enjoy watching cooking shows. Sometimes we try to recreate the meals.”

“I see… Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked. He felt awkward just hovering in front of her.

“Yes. Would you put water in a big pot, add some salt and boil it? Then put the noodles in.” she instructed, grabbing some onions and started chopping them.

Steve nodded and got to work. Once completing his task, Natasha didn’t tell him to do more, but told him to mostly just observe. She made the sauce and asked Steve to strain the noodles when they were done. After mixing the two together, their food was done, and even though Natasha did 90% of the work, Steve felt strangely triumphant. It was probably because of the grin Natasha gave him - a genuine, happy one, that she only mostly reserved for Clint.

They both got a plateful and instead of eating at the dining table, they opted for the couch instead, where Natasha put a Disney movie on. She chose Toy Story because she made it her duty to introduce Steve to pop culture and other things he missed out on. Steve thoroughly appreciates it - he enjoys Natasha’s company and she genuinely means it, which means he doesn’t get as much teasing as he usually does from someone like Stark.

\--

Cooking suddenly became their  _ thing _ . Soon after the Battle of New York, Fury assigned them to become partners and they end up having the same schedules and missions. Since Clint isn’t around as much anymore, Steve became the one whom Natasha watches cooking shows with. Sometimes they’d even cook the same meal and have the other Avengers judge it. Tony’s judgement always ends up favoring Natasha, and Steve suspects it has something to do with the look she throws his way when it comes to scoring the food.

They usually alternate between who cooks; it’s mostly during dinner as they’re out for the day. And they always watch something while eating - whether it be old movies or cooking shows - which slowly progressed to different things as Steve got more acquainted with modern times.

For Steve, this was the best possible way to get to know Natasha. Sure, he  _ knew _ her, but being each other’s partners meant being comfortable with the other. He got to know her a great deal more with their nights together, like how she absolutely loves cheese and hates cilantro. 

They became closer too, he could tell. Like one night, after a devastating mission which left a back-up SHIELD agent almost dying by the time they got out, Natasha was obviously upset. Apparently that agent was one of her former trainees in which she had a soft spot for. Too tired to do some cooking nor having the appetite to eat, Steve took out a tub of ice cream and joined Natasha on the couch. She was watching the news with a blank face, but he can tell she’s not really  _ watching _ . 

Carefully, to took the TV remote and switched it to the movies, where Monsters, Inc. played right where they left off. Natasha jolted and turned to look at him, who settled down and offered her the ice cream. To his surprise, Natasha curled herself on the space next to him, her head falling on his shoulder. She took the ice cream and spoon from him and started eating. They passed the ice cream back and forth until it was gone and the movie was over and Natasha was dozing off with a smile on her lips.

One particular night, Natasha made the stew that Steve was saying was his favorite when he was a child. Bucky’s mom used to cook that and he and Steve would eat that for dinner on cold winter nights. After months of Natasha prying on Steve’s memory of it, she finally perfected the recipe for it.

Steve ate a mouthful of it and groaned in absolute delight. “Nat, this is so good!” he managed to let out. Natasha laughed and absent-mindedly wiped the sauce that dripped on his chin.

“Oh yeah? You gonna ask me to marry you after learning how to cook that?” she teased, referring to their past mission where they had to act as a married couple. It was an easy mission, extracting intel before arrest, and as part of their cover, their target asked Steve when he decided to wanted to marry her. He replied with “When she learned to cook my favorite food.”

Steve paused, looking at Natasha with a soft smile. “Believe me, I might just do that.”

\--   
So that morning after his run and he first ran into Sam Wilson, Steve thought about his life in the present. Yes, food is definitely  _ way  _ better.


End file.
